LHC CJ irked at provincial cabinet's conduct over Lahore CCPO's remarks

Says entire cabinet should have apologised for the police officer's victim-blaming in motorway incident

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan said on Monday that the entire provincial cabinet should have apologised for the Lahore’s Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) controversial remarks against the Lahore motorway gang-rape survivor.

Hearing a miscellaneous petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N’s) leader Muhammad Malik Ahmed, demanding the removal of Lahore CCPO Umar Sheikh, Justice Khan remarked that had the cabinet apologised for the CCPO's remarks, the women of this nation would have felt safe.

“Instead, the Punjab government's ministers started defending the CCPO,” remarked the judge, adding, “The CCPO seems to be an officer of the Lahore ministers.”

The LHC chief justice further commented that despite such a jarring incident taking place the government seems to only be interested in forming committees. “Ministers and advisers are taking pictures on the crime scene,” he observed.

Justice Khan further questioned the experience of Punjab’s law minister regarding investigations, and in what capacity was he chairing the investigation committee.

“What kind of an investigation is being conducted where the head of a department is adamant on blaming the victim,” he said.

The court further sought the notification for both the Lahore CCPO's appointment and the committee formed to probe the motorway incident.

The petition, filed on September 12, contented that "the citizens of Pakistan, especially women, residing in Lahore, are worried and afraid of the CCPO considering his competency, intentions, and deep-rooted misogyny which he has shamelessly demonstrated on national media and has refused to apologise for".

The petitioner made the provincial government, IGP and the CCPO as respondents in the application.

Ahmed further implored to the court that the citizens of the province are afraid of the CCPO's thoughts and the vision he expressed on national media about the victim.

“The women of the province are feeling insecure after his remarks against the victim,” he reiterated.

The petitioner further contended that the CCPO had also used derogatory remarks against former Punjab IGP Shoaib Dastgir.

He implored the court that the CCPO is allegedly "corrupt financially and morally" and has been accused of misuse of authority by the Central Selection Board and as a consequence, his promotion was suppressed.

“It is not a surprise that when such an officer was appointed, he was bound to act in the manner in which he has been doing throughout his career,” the petitioner said.